The former Lebanese prime minister has since spoken strongly against Hezbollah, the powerful militia-cum-political bloc, with which he shared government, and attacked its patron, Iran. After five years in exile in Riyadh, Saudi leaders consented last December to Hariri returning to Beirut to form a government. On that day, Hariri met with Ali Akbar Velayati, the foreign affairs adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He resigned as prime minister last Saturday – a move that has not been recognised, even by his political bloc, the Future Movement in Beirut. On Thursday, Fouad Siniora, a former prime minister and senior Future figure, called on him to return, claiming he was still Lebanon’s prime minister.

Source: The Guardian November 10, 2017 18:44 UTC